College admissions want to know what you do after class, whether it is getting involved with a club, playing sports or even a part time job. Keep in mind though that the top schools don't necessarily care so much about what you're involved in, but how involved you are in it. This means that they are interested to know if you are taking on leadership roles/positions in your extracurricular activities. Quality trumps quantity when it comes to extra curricular activities. So if you're not in a leadership position yet, take these tips into consideration. 1. Volunteer Positions If your extracurricular ...

Close your eyes and picture the people you know—family, friends, coworkers, classmates, neighbors, and acquaintances. Who do you see? A football fan? A nature lover? A great cook? But there’s something else. About 60 million people worldwide have a brain disorder known as bipolar disorder or manic-depressive illness. Chances are someone you know has this mental illness or cares for someone who does. Learning about bipolar disorder can help you understand the impact this disease has on those affected by it so you can respond to them with care and sensitivity. Plus, in the process, you’ll have the chance to ...

It’s definitely not an ordinary path, but experiencing a summer completely immersed in art practice could be the path to the extraordinary. When I was 17, I spent my summer working at a smoothie bar for minimum wage sweating over a blender. While I am grateful for this experience, the landscape of employment for teens has changed, as has the kinds of skills that employers seek. At San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI), one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious colleges of art in the nation, at which I serve as the Director of our PreCollege Program, we believe that ...

The oceans on earth generate half of the oxygen we breathe, and for us to continue to thrive, we need our seas to stay healthy. However, increasing industrialism, over-fishing and the destruction of natural marine environments are all playing serious havoc on our oceans. Therefore, marine conservation volunteering is not only an exciting opportunity for teens to mingle with awesome sea inhabitants, but can also provide crucial help for a vitally important cause. Track Turtles Many species of sea turtle are sadly hurtling towards extinction, and there are many organizations looking for volunteers to help protect them. Teens can achieve ...

Girls interested in STEM often face an uphill battle, and need all the support they can get to foster their curiosity, which is why positive role models are essential. However, perhaps we are barking up the wrong tree when we assume that they will be inspired by women who are both glamorous and successful in STEM? The Distorted View of STEM It’s no secret that impressionable young girls have a seriously distorted view of STEM-related careers, often perceiving them as male-only professions, or just for dowdy, unfeminine women. These stereotypical views are wide-spread and have a detrimental effect on getting ...

Finals week is approaching here in high school, and if your mind can survive it, then your dominant hand surely will too—though after a long essay and two open responses, you may not be so sure! Believe it or not, finals don’t have to be so daunting. With five simple tips, any student, from the studious, 4.0 GPA wonder to the ceaseless procrastinator to, well, me, can triumph over the evil that is finals week and emerge victorious for the next two months until school begins once again. Top 5 Tips for Finals 1. You have a wand Those of ...

A young man by the name of Spencer Corwin was about to begin his 7th grade year in school. He wanted to volunteer in Orange County, California, but didn’t know where to get started. He found a lot of organizations for teen girls to get involved in the community, but he couldn’t find much out there for boys. So he decided to change that. Spencer and his mother, Terry Corwin, recognized the importance of giving back, so they worked together to create Lion’s Heart. Lion’s Heart offers teenagers a special connection with their communities by providing volunteer and leadership opportunities ...

After months of preparation, your teen has finished all of their college applications and pressed the “send” button. Being done with the application process, and all the work it entails, entitles teens to breathe a sigh of relief. Now that their applications are in the hands of the college admissions offices, there is nothing more they can do but wait. Or is there? What should teens be doing (or not doing) while they wait to hear back from colleges? Stay Calm The best advice for teens is to stay calm. Lisa Sohmer, Director of College Counseling for the Garden School, ...

Normal teenage behavior can send most parents running for the hills: rudeness, untidiness, moodiness, rebellion, and a chip on their shoulder the size of Mount Everest, are all part and parcel of raising a teen. However, what if these are merely an indication of something more serious going on? Stroppy Behavior or Something Else? Mental health problems in teens are often slow to be diagnosed, and this is probably partly because most parents expect to see some degree of erratic and moody behavior from their adolescents, and so early signs of a mental illness are written off as normal teenage ...

Homework completion is a perennial source of strife in households these days. There are many competing and contradictory views of the role and importance of homework, but most can agree that homework provides the school-age child a chance to develop independent living skills such as time-management, persistence and stamina, and establishing that work/play balance that is beneficial in adulthood. Most parents report to me that they are tired of having to push their child to do their homework. Parents are worried, as well, that if their child cannot complete homework on their own that they will not be able to ...

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